A few years ago, I was presenting a speaker to a women’s organization I led. The speaker was an expert in critical processes, and her topic for the day focused on essential processes that business owners need to implement for long-term growth. I casually mentioned that I was excited to learn from her … and that I hadn’t yet set my goals for the year.

As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I felt the vibe shift a little bit. We were already a few days into Q1 at that point … and despite being in a position of leadership for these women, I was clearly behind on one of the most critical processes an entrepreneur has to go through—my goal setting.

Long story short, the speaker put me on the hot seat right then and there. And while I felt a little bit embarrassed in that moment, I’m SO grateful that she was willing to turn the spotlight on me, because I learned an invaluable lesson that day…

When it comes to growing a sustainable, profitable business, smart, strategic goal setting is EVERYTHING 

So now, as we transition out of 2020—one of the most unpredictable and challenging years to date—it’s time again to think strategically about how we want our business to grow in the new year.

Having well thought out goals in place makes a huge difference in how we operate as business owners. Even if something comes up (like, ahem, a pandemic) that causes us to need to pivot or rework some things, having clear goals can help make sure we continue to move in the right direction.

So how can you set smart goals for 2021—and more importantly, how can you hold yourself accountable to those goals and take meaningful action to turn them into realities?

It’s not as hard as you might think.

Here are three of my best tips for rocking your new year’s goals and achieving your desired level of growth and impact in 2021.

1. Start Today

NOW is the time to:

•  Take a good look at what worked in your business last year.
• Get critical about what didn’t work as well.
• Think about the most important lessons you learned.
• Develop your vision for this year.

As you work through this process, it’s essential to ask yourself: How do you want to move your business forward over the next 12 months? What specific impact do you want to make? Will you need to rebrand or rework any of your current strategies?

Whatever you decide you’d like to—run, don’t walk, towards the finish line. 

    2. Work in 90-Day Sprints

Every 90 days, choose THREE goals that you want to really focus on. Ideally, these should be smaller goals that move you in the direction of your BIG overall vision for your business.

Working in small, focused chunks like this empowers you to get strategic, stay focused, and take meaningful, consistent action without burning out.

   3. Make Your Goals Visible

Write your goals down and put them somewhere you’ll see them every single day. You can…

• Put them in a picture frame on your desk.
• Make them your phone’s screensaver.
• Glue them to your vision board.
• Tape them to the coffee pot.

Whatever works! The important thing to remember here is that, as Tony Robbins says, “Our energy flows where our attention goes.” Keeping your goals within your line of vision will help you make even those seemingly small daily decisions with clear intention.

This will also help you decide which opportunities to act on—and which you can comfortably say NO to. Acting with your goals at the forefront of your mind prevents Shiny Object Syndrome and ensures that you consistently select opportunities that are aligned with your vision and your business goals.

Need Some Help Getting Clear On Your 2021 Growth Strategy? Let’s Talk!

I’d love to help you come up with a clear, actionable plan to grow the profitable, sustainable business of your dreams in 2021. Book a free consultation now and let’s figure out how we can move the needle towards your biggest goals for 2021 and beyond!